On June 20, 1980 Montreal 1976 Olympic gold medalist Sugar Ray Leonard faced the greatest lightweight of all time Roberto Duran thus kicking off the golden age of middleweights, an era chronicled by George Kimball in his forthcoming book Four Kings. Duran outlasted Leonard in the Brawl in Montreal winning a narrow 15-round decision. Leonard, who had turned pro immediately after Games, was now 27-1 and had just lost the WBC welterweight belt.
On June 20, 2008 Athens 2004 Olympic gold medalist Andre Ward faced the serviceable Dominican fighter Jerson Ravelo winning with an 8th round TKO. Ward, …read more

In the mail today I received an advanced copy of George Kimball’s forthcoming book Four Kings. The book profiles the four great middleweights of what the book’s subtitle refers to as “The Last Great Era of Boxing”: Leonard, Hagler, Hearns, and Duran. No first names are needed.
I’m usually the first person to dismiss and be angered by baby boomer claims that athletes were different then and that their era of sports was the best. The glorious eighties. Problem is that when I am confronted with their challenge of “well then, whose a great middleweight now?” I can only stammer back …read more